Atletico Madrid come into this Champions League clash brimming with confidence after a historic weekend victory. Diego Simeone’s men thrashed Real Madrid 5-2 in the derby, scoring five goals against their city rivals for the first time since 1950. Even more impressively, Atleti overturned a 2-1 deficit to stun Los Blancos in emphatic fashion.
Their European campaign, however, started on the wrong foot. A late collapse at Anfield saw Atletico fall 3-2 to Liverpool, with Simeone himself sent off in stoppage time. Suspended from the touchline on Tuesday, the Argentine coach will watch from the stands as his players seek a first Champions League win of the season.
Julian Alvarez is the man in form, with five goals across his last two La Liga games, and he returns to the European stage after missing the Liverpool clash. Supported by Alexander Sørloth, he is expected to spearhead the attack once again, while Antoine Griezmann may start on the bench.
Frankfurt entertaining but exposed
Eintracht Frankfurt travel to Madrid with plenty of goals in their recent games, both for and against. Dino Toppmöller’s men beat Galatasaray 5-1 in their Champions League opener, but their Bundesliga outings have been chaotic: a 6-4 win over Gladbach followed by a 4-3 defeat to Union Berlin.
Jonathan Burkardt has scored in three straight matches, including a brace in Europe, while Robin Koch surprisingly netted twice at the weekend. Yet defensive concerns remain, with Frankfurt conceding 12 goals across their last three fixtures. The uncertainty in goal – between Kaua Santos and Michael Zetterer – only adds to their fragility.
Prediction: 1
Atletico are riding high from their derby triumph and remain formidable at the Metropolitano. Frankfurt have attacking threats but lack defensive balance, especially away from home. The best bet is Atletico Madrid to win (1).
